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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Nicola Davis Science correspondent and Clea Skopeliti

Prescription of diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss ‘contributing to UK shortage’

A box of Ozempic
Ozempic, a semaglutide injection drug used for treating type 2 diabetes. Photograph: George Frey/Reuters

Patients, charities and health officials have called for prescribers to stop issuing a diabetes drug for weight loss amid a national shortage for those most in need.

Ozempic, which contains the active ingredient semaglutide, is licensed for managing blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. However it has quickly become famous as a celebrity slimming jab, with online pharmacies prescribing it “off-label” for those seeking to lose weight.

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